Yes, You CAN Wear Trainers To Work

Fancy beating the back to work blues? Try wearing a pair of sneakers to the office Victoria Beckham (or Fiona Bruce) style...

Remember when Fiona Bruce read the 10 o'clock news in - GASP! - trainers?! It turned out that the presenter had recently broken her foot, but after Twitter responded both for and against her casual kicks, whether or not you can wear trainers to work is a having a water cooler moment.

Fiona isn't the only one, either - the queen of the Casadei stiletto heel Victoria Beckham gave up her courts for something a little more comfy at the end of her AW16 show, where she tok her bow (read, coy and incredibly chic wave) in a pair of sneakers in place of her usual sky-scraping heels. Well, if VB can rock a pair of trainers to the office (be it a slightly more fabulous one) so can we. Here's how...

UGH! Back to work. But luckily we live in an age where that doesn’t necessarily mean wearing an uncomfortable pencil skirt and matching jacket with a pair of boring court shoes. While we don’t condone wearing a battered pair of old Asics from the bottom of your gym bag to the office, there are plenty of trainers around that are smart enough to hold their own in the boardroom.

And who better to ask for styling advice than Rose Rankin, founder and creative director of new trainers brand Rose Rankin London. She decided to start making trainers when she couldn’t find ones that felt smart enough to wear in important meetings when she found herself in a senior position at work. The result? These beautifully constructed leather shoes that look incredibly stylish and chic and are, of course, really REALLY comfortable (tried and tested by us and Poppy Delevingne, below). Here are Rose's top 5 tips for getting casual footwear right in the office.

READ: InStyle’s fashion features editor Hannah Rochell on her obsession with trainers

1. “It’s all about balance so I try to match the more casual look of trainers with smarter tailored culottes, full midi skirts, silk trousers or smart jeans. The trainers need to be clean and look intentional.”

2. “If you have a really important meeting, make sure the trainers look boxfresh and then use modern silhouettes, colour and luxe textures with the rest of your outfit. Keep hair, make-up and accessories minimal and sleek.”

3. “Skirts and trainers can be tricky, but our Simmy mid-tops (£169, roserankin.com) look great with shorter hemlines or maxi skirts. For mid lengths I would opt for the Coney low-tops (£140, roserankin.com) or Colt runners (£169, roserankin.com). Tights can work, especially with darker trainers, but keep it simple and avoid too much pattern, colour or texture.”

4. “White trainers look sleek with layers of neutral tones and soft texture. They also look great as a contrast against all black and are a classic when paired with denim. Socks are definitely OK and should be styled to be seen. They can be a great way to add colour, or pattern.”

5. “Don’t think you can only wear heels to work! Give your feet a break and embrace the casual confidence of trainers. Make it clear that the look is deliberate and avoid teaming them with anything too casual or traditionally office appropriate.”

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